This is no ordinary season-opening tournament for head coach Jeff Nelson and his New Mexico volleyball squad.
UNM will compete in three games in Muncie, Indiana during the Ball State Active Ankle Challenge. Not only will Nelson face off against some of his former coaching staff, but UNM may be able to award its head coach with his 400th career win - and on a national stage, no less.
The tournament will also be a homecoming for Nelson, as Ball State is his alma mater.
Although Nelson is shooting for a milestone this weekend, he hasn’t hinted anything to his team involving No. 400. Junior outside hitter Cassie House said she had no idea her head coach was going to be playing for a career mark.
“I think it would be a really cool bonus to get a victory against Ball State, his alma mater,” House said. “But I don’t think there’s any added pressure because I didn’t even know it would be 400.”
Nelson has been a head coach for 21 seasons for three different schools, amassing a 397-234 record. He is in his ninth year at the helm for New Mexico and has accumulated a 155-87 record as a Lobo.
If win No. 400 comes against Ball State, it won’t be the first milestone he achieved against his former school. As head coach of Texas Tech, Nelson garnered his 100th win against Ball State in the Nanook Classic in Fairbanks, Alabama on September 12, 1999.
However, the Lobos will have to keep a perfect record to celebrate Nelson’s career win. As if there wasn’t already pressure to start the season off on the right foot, UNM will have to take home wins against Belmont and Albany on Friday before playing Ball State on ESPN3 at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
“Any time you can get some exposure it’s good for your program and good for recruiting,” Nelson said. “Hopefully it will be a great match.”
Nelson said his veteran players are going to be leading the way to start the season off, but added that his incoming freshmen and transfer players are going to have the ability to earn a spot in some rotations.
“We’re looking to just build the connections and get really comfortable with our lineup,” House said. “Whatever the lineup may be, just making sure it’s sturdy and start a good foundation for the rest of the season.”
New Mexico will likely be beginning the season with a heavy dose of returning players, Nelson said, but the starting libero spot may be handed to incoming freshman Mercedes Pacheco, a recent St. Pius graduate.
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Nelson said his excitement to return to Ball State stems from seeing good friends, returning to a beautiful campus and playing against some of his former coaches. However, Nelson said he anticipates a quality atmosphere inside Worthen Arena.
“Volleyball is really a high-visibility sport out there,” Nelson said. “They get good crowds and do a lot of good things with both the men and the women’s programs.”
The opening serve for New Mexico’s 2015 season is scheduled for 8 a.m. Friday against Belmont.
Liam Cary-Eaves is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at assistantsports@dailylobo.com or on twitter @Liam_CE.
